Q: What are your physics/science interests?

To be honest, I’ve only recently decided that I’m going to make physics my career, so I’m still exploring various fields in physics. If I had to pick my interests now, it would be quantum physics/computing, atomic physics, and cosmology. 

Q: What are your other interests?

I love playing badminton, and I also love going out stargazing or on picnics. I’m really enjoying nature here on the UW campus :) Since I started living off campus, I got into cooking as well. I usually cook Korean cuisine. I also enjoy watching movies and reading science fiction. So far, my favorite movie is “Inception,” and my favorite book is “Project Hail Mary.” 

Q: What would you like to do after college?

As of now, I’m planning to go to graduate school for some physics program, but I’m not sure which field exactly I want to pursue yet. That’s why I’m here at this REU program, hoping I’ll get a better sense of what I want in the future! 

Q: Tell us one strange but interested fact about yourself?

I can count from 1 to 10 in 10 different languages. I guess this is not a strange fact, but my compilation is pretty peculiar as it includes some random languages like Lao. 

Q: What first sparked your interest in Physics?

When I was first introduced to kinematics in my high school physics class, I got very excited to see how derivatives and integrals played a role in the actual world. I thought to myself, “So this is why I learned all that math in calculus; it all makes sense now!” It was as if the mathematical equations came alive and showed me a new way to view the world. To this day, I’m mesmerized by how physics and math capture the logic of this world in a neat and beautiful way.  

Q: If you could have any pet, what would it be?

If I could have any pet, I wish I could have my old dog–who passed away last year–back. I wish she could come back to when she was younger and never grow old or sick. 

Q: If you had a free month and unlimited funds, how would you spend your time?

I’d love to travel around Europe. My must-visit places are Paris, Switzerland, anywhere along the Mediterranean Sea, and up north where I can see the Aurora! And I’d probably spend the last week back home in Korea with my family.

Q: If you could get a grant to study anything, what would it be?

I think I would want to study the expansion of the universe and the Big Bang. I’ve only recently been exposed to cosmology, and this is certainly not my field of expertise, but I’m just really curious how far humanity can get close to figuring out the truth about the beginning of the universe. Besides, isn’t it crazy to imagine that the whole universe could one day expand at a rate greater than the speed of light?